Holidays

Strolling carolers with Victorian flair are a Tam O'Shanter tradition

We're donning our top hat and making for the Atwater Village eatery.

Tam O'Shanter

What to Know

  • Strolling Victorian carolers at the Tam O'Shanter
  • 2980 Los Feliz Boulevard in Los Angeles
  • Diners will be treated to Victorian caroling each evening from Dec. 1-30; the carolers begin 30 minutes into the nightly dinner service

You may confidently wear a bustle and/or top hat in many parts of Los Angeles at any time of the year, and the people you encounter would likely think you were on your way to an audition.

Or perhaps they'd unjudgmentally assume you to be a lover of vintage clothing, or, just maybe, a possibly lost time traveler.

But if you're in full Dickensian dress from Dec. 1-30, and it is dinner time, and you're at a storied restaurant on Los Feliz Boulevard, you're likely partaking in a Christmassy custom that has been around for many a yuletide.

We are, of course, waving a lace hankie in the general direction of the Tam O'Shanter's beloved Victorian carolers, those spirited singers that revisit seasonal songs over several December evenings to the delight of those dining at the restaurant.

Let us quickly add that these carolers are very much about the strolling, so even if you and your party are cozily tucked into a cozy corner of the cozy eatery, chances are as good as Yorkshire pudding is savory that the carolers will call upon your table at some point.

The handsomely costumed quartet begins to sing 30 minutes after dinner begins at the eatery, so you'll want to plan your arrival accordingly.

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Reservations for these sought-after evenings do fill up faster than you can sing "ding dong, merrily on high," do note.

A seasonal supper at the Tam is always a special affair, and while a top hat and bustled frock are not the requisite dress for those dining at the ye olde tavern, guests will choose garb to reflect the sartorial spirit of the season.

And, of course, diners do dress to pay tartan-centered tribute to the restaurant itself, which turned 100 years old a few years back.

The Tam O'Shanter remains dedicated to its Scottish character, meaning plaids and tartans are common clothing choices during the dressiest season, and, really, all throughout the year.

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